Car Advice

[Highlander]

Looking for advice for anyone with experience dealing with older model cars and teenage drivers.

A few weeks ago my eldest son had a wreck in our spare car, which is a 2007 Honda Accord SE with around 200K miles on it. He wasn't hurt and there were no other cars involved. The car is pretty banged up and not worth much due to it's age and mileage. But I need a third car at least through the summer when he goes off to college. Options I have:

1) Fix the car - Body shop said it would require front and wheel axle assembly, front and rear wheels, new rotors, and new tires. Estimated cost is around $2,300-3,000. However, he has no way to know if the engine cradle is bent until he does the first set of work. If it is, that's a $1,500 part and 6 hours of labor to replace so I'm looking at more like $5K. That's well over the blue book value of the car in fair condition and doesn't address any of the cosmetic body damage to it. If it weren't for the possibility of a bent engine cradle, I'd probably take this option.

2) Sell it for scrap and buy a replacement - This car is for a teenage driver, so I really just need something that is safe and road worthy. A friend of mine has a 2008 Chevy Impala with 220K miles on it he wants to sell for $3,000 that isn't wrecked. I generally don't have a lot of faith in high mileage American made cars tho. I'm hearing the market for used cars is inflated at the moment and it would be very hard to replace the car I have with a similar vehicle for under $3,000. I don't really want to haggle on the price since it's a member of the family and not worth saving a couple hundred bucks to ruin a relationship. I haven't really priced other used cars, and my fear is getting one that has even bigger issues than the one I currently own. I'm guessing I could get $1,000 for the car in salvage, but I honestly don't know.

The last caveat is my son goes to college in September and doesn't "need" a car while he's there. My next child is only 15 and won't have a full license until May 2023, which is roughly when child #1 returns home. So I kinda just need a car for the next 4 months so he can get to/from his job, then I've got some time to figure out a solution for next summer.

Thoughts?

[rsvman]

Looking for advice for anyone with experience dealing with older model cars and teenage drivers.

A few weeks ago my eldest son had a wreck in our spare car, which is a 2007 Honda Accord SE with around 200K miles on it. He wasn't hurt and there were no other cars involved. The car is pretty banged up and not worth much due to it's age and mileage. But I need a third car at least through the summer when he goes off to college. Options I have:

1) Fix the car - Body shop said it would require front and wheel axle assembly, front and rear wheels, new rotors, and new tires. Estimated cost is around $2,300-3,000. However, he has no way to know if the engine cradle is bent until he does the first set of work. If it is, that's a $1,500 part and 6 hours of labor to replace so I'm looking at more like $5K. That's well over the blue book value of the car in fair condition and doesn't address any of the cosmetic body damage to it. If it weren't for the possibility of a bent engine cradle, I'd probably take this option.

2) Sell it for scrap and buy a replacement - This car is for a teenage driver, so I really just need something that is safe and road worthy. A friend of mine has a 2008 Chevy Impala with 220K miles on it he wants to sell for $3,000 that isn't wrecked. I generally don't have a lot of faith in high mileage American made cars tho. I'm hearing the market for used cars is inflated at the moment and it would be very hard to replace the car I have with a similar vehicle for under $3,000. I don't really want to haggle on the price since it's a member of the family and not worth saving a couple hundred bucks to ruin a relationship. I haven't really priced other used cars, and my fear is getting one that has even bigger issues than the one I currently own. I'm guessing I could get $1,000 for the car in salvage, but I honestly don't know.

The last caveat is my son goes to college in September and doesn't "need" a car while he's there. My next child is only 15 and won't have a full license until May 2023, which is roughly when child #1 returns home. So I kinda just need a car for the next 4 months so he can get to/from his job, then I've got some time to figure out a solution for next summer.

Thoughts?

I wouldn't fix the old one.

If you really only want something that will last four or five months there have got to be cheaper options than that Impala.

On the other hand May of 2023 isn't all that far off, so another option would be to spend more and get a reliable car. Between now and next May you could drive it to work every other week so it doesn't just fall into disrepair. Then when child number two is ready to drive, the car would already be there. Save the trouble of car shopping twice; only downside is maybe twice the upfront expense right now.

[budwom]

Because of the lack of availability of new cars (take a look at some lots...one local spot that usually has 250 to 300 new cars now has 19) used car prices are preposterously high. Much has been written about this.

So perhaps repairing the current car is perhaps a good idea..BUT that whole thing about having to do a bunch of work before determining if even more work is required is not ideal. I'm guessing the required repairs cost more than the value of the car.

Any chance of just going without a car for one year? My wife and I are thinking of a new car, but the market is crazy now, we're waiting until next April for things to settle down.

[YmoBeThere]

Looking for advice for anyone with experience dealing with older model cars and teenage drivers.

A few weeks ago my eldest son had a wreck in our spare car, which is a 2007 Honda Accord SE with around 200K miles on it. He wasn't hurt and there were no other cars involved. The car is pretty banged up and not worth much due to it's age and mileage. But I need a third car at least through the summer when he goes off to college. Options I have:

1) Fix the car - Body shop said it would require front and wheel axle assembly, front and rear wheels, new rotors, and new tires. Estimated cost is around $2,300-3,000. However, he has no way to know if the engine cradle is bent until he does the first set of work. If it is, that's a $1,500 part and 6 hours of labor to replace so I'm looking at more like $5K. That's well over the blue book value of the car in fair condition and doesn't address any of the cosmetic body damage to it. If it weren't for the possibility of a bent engine cradle, I'd probably take this option.

2) Sell it for scrap and buy a replacement - This car is for a teenage driver, so I really just need something that is safe and road worthy. A friend of mine has a 2008 Chevy Impala with 220K miles on it he wants to sell for $3,000 that isn't wrecked. I generally don't have a lot of faith in high mileage American made cars tho. I'm hearing the market for used cars is inflated at the moment and it would be very hard to replace the car I have with a similar vehicle for under $3,000. I don't really want to haggle on the price since it's a member of the family and not worth saving a couple hundred bucks to ruin a relationship. I haven't really priced other used cars, and my fear is getting one that has even bigger issues than the one I currently own. I'm guessing I could get $1,000 for the car in salvage, but I honestly don't know.

The last caveat is my son goes to college in September and doesn't "need" a car while he's there. My next child is only 15 and won't have a full license until May 2023, which is roughly when child #1 returns home. So I kinda just need a car for the next 4 months so he can get to/from his job, then I've got some time to figure out a solution for next summer.

Thoughts?

Personally, I'm always suspicious of vehicle that had had to have frame damage fixed. Other issues tend to crop up. By mid 2000s, the American makes had gone a long way to closing the quality gaps with the Japanese makes which makes the $3,000 for the Impala a good choice. With a net price of 2k and not having all the panel damage, etc. seems like the better investment to me.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Just think of all the room he'll have in the back seat of the Impala! He may like that, you and his mom might not...

[PackMan97]

A friend of mine has a 2008 Chevy Impala with 220K miles on it he wants to sell for $3,000 that isn't wrecked. I generally don't have a lot of faith in high mileage American made cars tho. I'm hearing the market for used cars is inflated at the moment and it would be very hard to replace the car I have with a similar vehicle for under $3,000. I don't really want to haggle on the price since it's a member of the family and not worth saving a couple hundred bucks to ruin a relationship. I haven't really priced other used cars, and my fear is getting one that has even bigger issues than the one I currently own. I'm guessing I could get $1,000 for the car in salvage, but I honestly don't know.

I'd get the Impala. American cars aren't nearly the dumpster fires they used to be in the 80s and 90s.. If he's a good friend he should be able to show you service records and tell you the problems he has with it and what not.

[wavedukefan70s]

Looking for advice for anyone with experience dealing with older model cars and teenage drivers.

A few weeks ago my eldest son had a wreck in our spare car, which is a 2007 Honda Accord SE with around 200K miles on it. He wasn't hurt and there were no other cars involved. The car is pretty banged up and not worth much due to it's age and mileage. But I need a third car at least through the summer when he goes off to college. Options I have:

1) Fix the car - Body shop said it would require front and wheel axle assembly, front and rear wheels, new rotors, and new tires. Estimated cost is around $2,300-3,000. However, he has no way to know if the engine cradle is bent until he does the first set of work. If it is, that's a $1,500 part and 6 hours of labor to replace so I'm looking at more like $5K. That's well over the blue book value of the car in fair condition and doesn't address any of the cosmetic body damage to it. If it weren't for the possibility of a bent engine cradle, I'd probably take this option.

2) Sell it for scrap and buy a replacement - This car is for a teenage driver, so I really just need something that is safe and road worthy. A friend of mine has a 2008 Chevy Impala with 220K miles on it he wants to sell for $3,000 that isn't wrecked. I generally don't have a lot of faith in high mileage American made cars tho. I'm hearing the market for used cars is inflated at the moment and it would be very hard to replace the car I have with a similar vehicle for under $3,000. I don't really want to haggle on the price since it's a member of the family and not worth saving a couple hundred bucks to ruin a relationship. I haven't really priced other used cars, and my fear is getting one that has even bigger issues than the one I currently own. I'm guessing I could get $1,000 for the car in salvage, but I honestly don't know.

The last caveat is my son goes to college in September and doesn't "need" a car while he's there. My next child is only 15 and won't have a full license until May 2023, which is roughly when child #1 returns home. So I kinda just need a car for the next 4 months so he can get to/from his job, then I've got some time to figure out a solution for next summer.

Thoughts?

Service records maintenance. Despite the obvious junkers .
I my self am a toyota fan .but i bought my son a a 02 f150 4 maintained very well. Shes ugly has 300k but runs well knock on wood.
Gave one of my daughters a camry with 149 k never saw 220 k because she didnt maintain it .
You can google reviews amd problems on certain models also.

[wilson]

A couple of thoughts:
1. You can barely get anything that runs for $3k these days.
2. You’re unlikely to get $1000 for an Accord or anything else at scrap value…more like $400-500.
3. GM cars of the last 25 years or so will actually run for kind forever, especially if they have the 3200 6-cylinder (which that Impala almost certainly does). Other things will break, but assuming it’s been even decently cared for, that motor will run up to 300k or so without batting an eye.

Impala looks like your best, easiest move to me.

[Acymetric]

I'd get the Impala. American cars aren't nearly the dumpster fires they used to be in the 80s and 90s.. If he's a good friend he should be able to show you service records and tell you the problems he has with it and what not.

Chiming in as another voice in favor of the Impala. The people talking about waiting for prices to get more reasonable...they have been elevated for quite a while and I wouldn't count on them coming down any time soon. I also was able to get around that by buying an older car (with a very minor but reported accident) from a family member just like you and it has worked out great. Of course, there's always the chance that something will go wrong with the Impala after you buy it, but that could happen to any car.

I bet that car would go for more than double on the market, you would be getting a very good deal assuming a clean vehicle history and no major issues.

P.S. your instincts not to haggle are correct, it would be crazy to haggle with someone on that price whether they're a family member or not. The used car market is nuts right now.

[TruBlu]

I would also vote for the Impala. About 4-5 years ago I bought a 2004 Buick Lesabre (very similar to the Impala) with 39,000 miles. It has the 3800 engine, which is also durable like the 3200, but with more power. It rides like a dream, and gets 30 mpg Highway with a trunk and backseat filled with tools and test equipment, probably equivalent to 6-7 full grown passengers. It now has 130,000 miles on it (This with me not driving for over a year due to back surgery). The Impala is a little more sporty looking, for your youngster. If car prices come down, I will be looking for another low mileage “grandpaw” car like it.

[Jeffrey]

Personally, I'm always suspicious of vehicle that had had to have frame damage fixed. Other issues tend to crop up. By mid 2000s, the American makes had gone a long way to closing the quality gaps with the Japanese makes which makes the $3,000 for the Impala a good choice. With a net price of 2k and not having all the panel damage, etc. seems like the better investment to me.

Strongly agree! I have always walked away from bent frames. They’re a risky proposition and domestic car quality has substantially improved.

[cspan37421]

If it's just the two options, another vote for the Impala. This is on the grounds that the full extent of the damage to the other car supposedly isn't knowable yet, but what is already known puts it into "totaled" territory (if you add the cosmetic damage). Since it's your preference to keep the Accord, can you get a 2nd opinion on whether the engine cradle or frame is known to be bent? With axle damage it wouldn't surprise me if it was.

While the Impala is not a car that would attract me, compared to an Accord, if it hasn't been severely wrecked, that's a lot in its favor compared to your other option. Depending on the specific model, the Impala is either a really good deal or a great one, assuming there's nothing wrong with the engine. I presume there's nothing major wrong cosmetically if it's not been wrecked.

tangent: we just re-acquired a 2007 Honda Accord (EX-L, 176k) from my mom, who can no longer drive. It was originally Mrs. Cspan's, then our son drove it in HS and first half of college, then for the last 3 years, my mom had it up north. Suffice it to say that it was in bad shape inside and out, but I've gotten it back to being roadworthy and am working on getting it back in cosmetic shape. It would normally seem a bit like hoarding to say this is our backup car, but these days, it's prudent. Just a few years ago my wife's 2015 Accord was totaled in a hit-and-run on the interstate highway, and we were suddenly a 1-car family. Fortunately that was early 2019, not pandemic era quite yet. But it remains an object lesson in our minds - you're only 1 wreck away from having to go look for a replacement car - in what is now a very thin market, where supply chain issues seem to be lingering with no clear end in sight.

So while this used Accord may have actually increased in value despite the neglect and abuse of the last few years, thanks to a hot used car market, I value having a backup car right now much more than a few more thousand bucks in the bank. Especially "the devil I know" kind of used car, rather than someone else's problem car.

[nmduke2001]

The reliability of modern cars is amazing. I remember growing up that people would brag if they were able to get 100,000 miles out of a car. Now, if you don't get 100,000 you likely got a lemon.

Having said that, I'd get the impala.

[wilson]

The reliability of modern cars is amazing. I remember growing up that people would brag if they were able to get 100,000 miles out of a car. Now, if you don't get 100,000 you likely got a lemon.

This is so true. Whenever someone (usually some codger of...particular persuasions) starts in on an automotive-related "they don't make 'em like they used to" lament, I just roll my eyes and stop listening, knowing that this person is full of [redacted].

[PackMan97]

This is so true. Whenever someone (usually some codger of...particular persuasions) starts in on an automotive-related "they don't make 'em like they used to" lament, I just roll my eyes and stop listening, knowing that this person is full of [redacted].

Well, they don't "make 'em like they used to". That person is very correct. They are safer, more reliable, more powerful, better handling, more fuel efficient, etc.

That said, some of the old cars are truly works of art and they don't make them like that any more.

[wilson]

Well, they don't "make 'em like they used to". That person is very correct. They are safer, more reliable, more powerful, better handling, more fuel efficient, etc.

That said, some of the old cars are truly works of art and they don't make them like that any more.

Oh yes, I agree with all of the above. I was referring to that special sort who claims that all new stuff is disposable crap, while the iron hunks of yesteryear are somehow bulletproof bastions of consistency and strength.
I agree that there's nothing on the road as beautiful as, say, a '57 Nomad, and I positively loathe the "styling" of today's sea of anonymous, beige crossover blobs.

[budwom]

The reliability of modern cars is amazing. I remember growing up that people would brag if they were able to get 100,000 miles out of a car. Now, if you don't get 100,000 you likely got a lemon.

Having said that, I'd get the impala.

I remember a wee celebration when my 1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88 hit 100,000 at the Cape Hatteras lighthouse...having said that, none of the original poster's options are particularly tempting. Yes, American cars are way better than they used to be, but a 14 years old Impala with 220k miles shouldn't be buying any green bananas..

[rsvman]

This is so true. Whenever someone (usually some codger of...particular persuasions) starts in on an automotive-related "they don't make 'em like they used to" lament, I just roll my eyes and stop listening, knowing that this person is full of [redacted].

Sometimes these people are talking nostalgically about the fact that anybody with even a remote hint of mechanical inclination could fairly easily work on an engine of those old cars. An 8-year-old who was near the bottom of his 3rd-grade class could easily, for example, put in a new air filter. A 10-year-old could change a battery, with adult supervision.

On my car, in order to change out the battery you practically have to dismantle the whole car! It's ridiculously complicated and takes a tremendous amount of work. Mechanics who work on new cars are almost closer to IT specialists than the old "grease monkeys" of old.

If you enjoy working on engines these days, you're better off with lawnmowers, chainsaws, and trimmers.

[budwom]

^ which is why there are precious few corner gas station mechanics around any more…

[PackMan97]

Sometimes these people are talking nostalgically about the fact that anybody with even a remote hint of mechanical inclination could fairly easily work on an engine of those old cars. An 8-year-old who was near the bottom of his 3rd-grade class could easily, for example, put in a new air filter. A 10-year-old could change a battery, with adult supervision.

On my car, in order to change out the battery you practically have to dismantle the whole car! It's ridiculously complicated and takes a tremendous amount of work. Mechanics who work on new cars are almost closer to IT specialists than the old "grease monkeys" of old.

If you enjoy working on engines these days, you're better off with lawnmowers, chainsaws, and trimmers.

Interesting. My 8 year old has changed the air filter on our 2017 Rav4. He hasn't changed the batter simply because he's not strong enough to lift it. He has helped replace a side mirror (super easy), change the oil in our lawn tractor (super easy), repalced the fuel lines in our leaf blower (somehow I messed that up, but otherwise super easy), replaced the taillight assembly in my mother-in-laws Rav4 (easiest thing ever once we ordered the right part). He wants to get stuff done. Not to mention he's always had a battle with device addiction, so we try to keep him focused doing real world things.

I think a lot of simple tasks are far simpler in cars these days. It is so much easier to replace a bulb, or an air filter and stuff like that. Now, I don't know much about the rest, but I've been impressed with Toyota's ease of maintenance.